THE INTERTWINED NETWORK OF RIVERS, STREAMS IN COUNTY
LAKE THREAT FROM SEPTICS
POTENTIAL PROBLEM BUT STATE AND LOCAL REGS ARE LACKING
METRO INTELLIGENCER
THREATENED PLANET LAKES LEVELS
From the Publisher
Publisher David Hohendorf discusses the current issue and a few items about LAKE magazine.
9
Oakland County watersheds
Oakland sits at the headwaters for a number of major rivers and the five watersheds in the county play an important role in protecting both groundwater and surface waters for those residing here and neighboring counties.
20
View from above
An aerial view of Walnut Lake in West Bloomfield.
23
Concerns about septic systems
Mostly a concern in the western and northern parts of Oakland County, septic systems when not properly maintained can have a major impact on local lakes.
31 Threatened Planet
Short notes on what’s happening on the warming planet front here and around the world.
32 Metro Intelligencer News and gossip from the dining world in the metro Detroit area. 34 Lake levels
The latest lake levels as measured by the office of the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner.
This month I thought it makes sense to share some updates on a few issues with LAKE magazine but before I do that, here’s what you will find in this issue’s editorial offerings.
We take a look at the topic of watersheds and the importance of protecting them because of their important role in assuring the quality of water in the county, be it your underground or surface waters. In the case of Oakland, we sit at the headwaters for a number of major rivers that run through not only our county but into several neighboring ones. Eventually these rivers empty into part of the Great Lakes and the Detroit River, which is where the region draws its water for delivery to your homes if you are on a municipal water system.
make a good cover for LAKE magazine in the future. A good number of readers have taken time to send us photos as attachments to emails at LAKEphotos@downtownpublications.com. Finding photos that will work on the cover is a bit more of a challenge than what one would think because we have to allow for an address label, story headlines and a logo for the publication, which starts to narrow the entries somewhat. We did just receive some promising photos, one of which will be used in the next couple of months. But please keep your contributions coming. If we use one of your photos for a cover, you will get credit and a check for $100.
The September issues also takes a look at the topic of septic systems, most prevalent in the western and northern parts of the county, where sewers may not be available, although there are some areas in Bloomfield Township and the Rochester area where individual residential waste disposal systems are still relied upon. Of the three county lakes on which I have resided in the past, two – Long Lake straddling Commerce and White Lake townships and White Lake which straddles White Lake and Highland townships – sewers were not available so I learned that as a homeowner you need to be aware of how to maintain your system.
Unfortunately, there are a large number of failing septic systems which can pose problems for local lakes so we also look at whether Michigan, as the only state that does not require inspections of septic systems, is any closer to adopting regulations along those lines.
In terms of updates at the publishing group and LAKE magazine, here are a few items of note.
Cover contributions: We asked in our July issue if any of the lake residents had photos that might
Lakeside dining directory: We are starting to compile, for an issue next spring, a guide to waterfront restaurants and bars in Oakland County and could use your help. Hard to believe that there is not one source where someone can review a list of all the dining options on lakes. Although we are making progress, we want to make sure that our directory of lakefront restaurants and bars is complete, which is where you come in. If the lake on which you live has a restaurant or bar on the waterfront, send me an email with the name of the establishment and lake it is on. My thanks in advance.
LAKE website: If you have not visited the magazine’s website (lakemagazine.media), you may find some useful information there. Aside from the editorial content from the magazine, we also provide direct links to about a dozen organizations that are involved with lake-related issues in case you need assistance or want to get involved. Further, you will find on our home page a direct link to the weekly lake level reports for the lakes under control of the Oakland Water Resources Commissioner's office, and a direct link to beach closures in Oakland County.
David Hohendorf Publisher DavidHohendorf@DowntownPublications.com
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OAKLAND COUNTY WATERSHEDS
HEADWATERS WHERE IT ALL BEGINS
BY MARK H. STOWERS
Min t
sizes collect and eventually flow into a major stream or river But these simple yet complex series of ditches, ponds, collection sites, small and large streams are of vital impor tance to the ecology and economy where they are located There are 63 major watersheds in Michigan alone, and another 267 sub-watersheds are connected within These networks of streams and rivers eventually make their way to one of the Great Lakes, where 20 percent of the world's freshwater is located.
“In simple ter ms, a watershed is the area where all rainwater falling on a cer tain area of land will come together,” said Melissa DiSimone, executive director of Michigan Lakes and Streams Association “Understanding where water comes from and where it goes is critical for water management planning as well as planning for mitigation should the water come from points of heavy nutrient loading, like far mland for example Many r ural areas do not plan for stor mwater management and they end up with flooding and unfiltered r unoff entering lakes and streams ”
The functions of Oakland County watersheds include providing drinking water for local communities, suppor ting a wide variety of wildlife and plant species, contributing to biodiversity and offering oppor tunities for outdoor activities such as fishing, boating, hiking and birdwatching
Watersheds play a cr ucial role in managing stor mwater r unoff, reducing flood risks and filtering pollutants before they reach larger bodies of water Wetlands and natural areas within watersheds help absorb excess water during stor ms, reducing flood risks downstream Healthy watersheds can enhance proper ty values and suppor t local economies through tourism and recreational industries A healthy watershed helps create real estate value as well Watersheds suppor t diverse habitats for plants, animals and aquatic life, contributing to overall biodiversity
Dr Katherine L Mar tin, associate professor in the Nor th Carolina State University Depar tment of Forestr y and Environmental Resources, explained that all watersheds are connected “ Your local watershed is nested into sequentially larger watersheds, the levels depend on how far you are from the common drainage point,” Mar tin said “ Your local watershed would be adjacent to another local watershed which is likely par t of the same nested watershed at some point Watersheds are defined as draining to a common outlet ”
Overall, Oakland County's watersheds are essential natural resources that require careful management and conser vation effor ts to ensure their continued benefits to both the environment and human communities
Oakland County ’ s major watersheds include the Flint River Watershed, Clinton River Watershed, the Rouge River Watershed, The Shiawassee Watershed and the Huron River Watershed There are two sub-watersheds as well – the Stony Creek and Paint Creek Watersheds
These watersheds have layers of federal, state, county and local organizations that monitor, maintain and oversee the overall management of each Jim Nash, Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner, stays busy making sure those in Oakland County are protected and monitored
“ There's five watersheds whose headwaters are in
County ends up in one of those watersheds in the river that they ser vice, then eventually in the Great Lakes ”
He fur ther explained, “Both the Great Lakes and our own water resources in the county, the 1,200 or so lakes, rivers and streams we have here are protected In most counties, we're called drain commissioners Here we do way more than drains ”
His job title began with drains but now includes much, much more
“ That's why we're water resources commissioners
Originally this state was a backwater The original point of drains was to drain fields for agricultural use Once we built cities, we still had that issue We're doing ever ything we can to protect the water we have ”
He noted that “both separated stor m sewers and combined sewers go into our watersheds The ones that are separated go right in without any kind of treatment at all Whatever comes off a road or a parking lot goes into the nearest body of water and whatever car ries with it
Holly
White Lake Waterford
West Bloomfield
Oxf Commerce
Milford
Novi Southfie
Oakland COunty Watersheds
Flint river Watershed
01 - Middle Flint Subwatershed
02 - South Branch Flint Subwatershed
Clinton river Watershed
03 - North Branch & East Pond Subwatershed
04 - Upper Clinton Subwatershed
05 - Stoney & Paint Creek Subwatershed
06 - Clinton Main Subwatershed
07 - Red Run Subwatershed
shiawassee river Watershed
08 - Shiawassee South Branch Subwatershed
09 - Shiawassee Subwatershed
huron river Watershed
10 - Chain of Lakes Subwatershed
11 - Kent Lake/Upper Huron Subwatershed
rouge river Watershed
12 - Middle 1 Subwatershed
13 - Upper Rouge Subwatershed
14 - Main 1 & 2 Rouge Subwatershed
f different things Oil and brake dust and all kinds of different stuff that come off and end up in our water ways We tr y to protect that doing a lot of different things ”
With each watershed being massive – each one is comprised of more than 900-plus square miles – massive stor ms create massive problems
“ The biggest problem that we're going to be seeing from climate change in our lifetimes and af ter are going to be heavy extreme weather stor ms, ” Nash explained “ We've already experienced this in Oakland County and Michigan But they're just going to keep happening and eventually getting worse We're tr ying to help communities prepare for that We have stor m drains that lead to systems But if we can limit what gets into those stor m drains that's less pollution that can happen And it's less likelihood of flooding in the longer ter m ”
One way to limit pollution is to create and add green infrastr ucture, such as rain gardens, rain bar rels and using bioswales in large pavement areas like parking lots
“In old-fashioned large parking lots you'd see this hump of grass with a curb around it and a half-dead tree in it That was just to break up the pavement, but it doesn't really do any good for containing water Whatever water hits that parking lot goes right in the stor m drain Instead, we have bioswales, which instead of a hump are a ditch kind of dug into the ground six, eight, 10 inches You still have curb around it but the water can get through the curb and then the water will gather there instead of going right into the stor m drain It's a really good way of storing that stor m water ”
Any productive way to slow down any type of precipitation is helpful Rain bar rels collect water for later use Rain gardens help water absorb naturally and slowly instead of rapidly r unning off the land causing flooding and other high water issues The Rain Smar t Program, provided by the Water Commissioner ’ s Office, is a subsidy program for those interested in green infrastr ucture projects
“A lot of communities are doing that (rain bar rels and rain gardens); we're helping them do that,” Nash said “ We have a rebate program in the George W Kuhn area There's no lakes down there technically, but so there's a possibility to do that around the counties, is help people do that kind of green infrastr ucture, keep that water, stor m water, on their proper ties That way it's going to cause less pollution downstream ”
He noted, “Native plants in native rain gardens have much deeper roots, 10, 20, 30-feet deep roots, so they can really pull a lot of water down And even a rain bar rel, can store 50 gallons of rain off your roof Then you can use it to water your garden Other ways of doing that include per meable pavement on roads and bioswales There's lots that can be done and more and more communities are doing their ordinances to encourage both residential and commercial folks to do that ”
Nash works with each watershed council and group
“ The Clinton River Watershed Council is a great, longter m knowledgeable group I've worked with them for many years now and (are) a great source Friends of the Rouge River is another really big source and the other biggest one in Oakland County would be the Huron River Council So those are the three that really do our most atrisk active in Oakland County The other two are the Flint River and the Shiawassee River, but that's kind of ver y up top of the county, so they're a much smaller par t of what we do But we work with them also Each one is volunteer- oriented and they do a lot of work around cleaning up the trash and obstr uctions in the water ways They do a lot of really great work And they get a lot of funding to help communities do that same work ”
The most basic piece of a watershed is nature itself When it rains in the woods, “almost all of it is absorbed into the ground It really has ver y little r unoff when there's
Lake Orion
Rochester Hills
not any kind of disturbance of the nature,” Nash explained “ When you get to even things like mowed lawns, a mowed lawn, the roots are only as deep as the grass is tall The point of what roots do for you is it pulls the water into the ground It goes into the ground rather than r unoff So, grass is not ver y effective Once that first inch is taken up, then it just r uns off like it was concrete But where there are natural tall grasses, native plants, even trees, that allows much more of the water to drain into the ground ”
An impor tant fight for ever yone is to help preser ve watersheds Decades ago, both the Clinton and Huron rivers were extremely polluted “All their water life was dying There were ver y few inver tebrates or fish or anything in any of them,” Nash explained “Star ting in the late '50s, we got federal dollars, and those watershed groups did a tremendous amount of volunteer work And now these are wonder ful rivers for fishing, there's plenty of wildlife It's been a dramatic change in about 40 years And that's what these groups have done to bring it up to where it is now They want to make sure it stays that way All of our local gover nments work with them, and my office does to make sure that it's done in a way that's going to keep this sustainable for many generations ”
Nash had several suggestions for anyone to help Michigan watersheds
“For one, never dump anything down a stor m drain That's really bad And if you see somebody, we have a pollution hotline that folks can call That you know if you ever see anybody doing anything like that or if you see an oily sheen on a screen or anything just repor t that because we can investigate it, clean it up and then if we can find the responsible par ties, go af ter them ”
In addition, soil erosion is a really big issue locally Nash’s office works with 45 communities across Oakland County with erosion control
“Anytime there's constr uction of over an acre we have to have those stilt fences – the black fabric fences,” he said “ That's to stop the erosion from getting into the nearest lake, river and stream That's our biggest cause of pollution in our lakes, rivers and streams in this region is erosion So, it's ver y impor tant that we control erosion and anytime people see open soil it should be repor ted so that we can control that ”
Another danger to watersheds is pesticides and fer tilizers
“Any time you're using a pesticide or fer tilizer, when it rains, it's washed right into whatever the stor m drain is If you live by a lake, it goes right into the lake That's what causes algae blooms and bacteria and things that close beaches You've got to be ver y careful of that ”
To help combat that problem, “there's something called riparian buffers, where you build basically a rain
garden along the shore Any fer tilizers off your lawn go into the ground instead of into the lake It's really a ver y impor tant thing ”
Other dangers to watershed include pet waste and septic systems
“ That kind of bacteria gets into things and then it can grow You don't want septic systems to fail because that causes pollution downstream One of the signs is mushy ground where it shouldn't be expected And if you see an oily sheen or a smell That's something you can repor t And then just clean it up Whenever you mow grass, heavy leaves, if that gets in the stor m drains, it can back up the water That's another thing you've got to watch out for ”
The Oakland County Water Commissioner ’ s office has 380 employees and an $800 million budget The phone number to repor t any pollution or any threats to a watershed is 248 858 0931
Covering a significant por tion of Oakland County including Pontiac, Rochester and Aubur n Hills, the Clinton River Watershed ser ves as a primar y drainage system for the large urban and suburban area, influencing water and flood control measures Cole Pachucki is the development and communications manager at the Clinton River Watershed Council
“ The Clinton River Watershed Council ser ves the Clinton River watersheds themselves, which are drainage basins,” Pachucki said “All of the water inside the Clinton River Watershed Council drains to the Clinton River and then flows east towards and into Lake St Clair ”
He noted that each tributar y has a sub-watershed “ The Clinton River Nor th Branch, the headwaters area, the main Clinton River branch, all have their own subwatersheds The Clinton River watershed is 760 square miles and it includes pieces of five counties The majority of Oakland County and Macomb County are included in that, but we also have Wayne, Lapeer and St Clair counties with sections in the watershed,” Pachucki said
The population within the watershed is 1 5 million people And there's hundreds of miles of water ways within the watershed itself
“As you drive through Bir mingham, through Rochester Hills, through Sterling Heights – ever y time in southeast Michigan you cross over a drain or stream, there's a little ‘hours to protect’ sign on it that says what the waterbody is to tr y and connect people back to those water ways, ” he said “It lets people know that even if you're not living on the Clinton, your water way may ver y well be flowing into the Clinton right near where you are because all of this water is connected, whether it be through groundwater or through directly flowing in and out of the same areas ”
Pachucki explained, “Early development also happened around water ways as a for m of transpor tation, as a for m of power for industr y Now we see a myriad of parks lined
up along the river to ensure that our residents have access to recreation, whether it be fishing or wading or paddling or just spending time in a beautiful green space ”
When considering watersheds, it's impor tant to think about and lear n about the histor y of the watershed as a whole
“Southeast Michigan contains about 50 percent of the population of the entire state And the state, on average, is just about 50 percent imper vious sur faces Because of all of the development and infrastr ucture required for people to live, parking lots and roads and roof tops and buildings are all necessar y to suppor t our life, but it displaces a lot of water And it means that water can't soak back into the ground,” he said “It's funneled instead, 55 percent of the time, into stor m drains Rapid development in this area and a lack of clean water regulations 100 years ago and before just meant that this area was being flooded It was developed a lot faster than anyone expected and at the time there was a lack of clean water regulations protecting our local lakes, rivers and streams within the watershed, so the Clinton River other rivers in the area, they all suffered from the effects of industr y and quick development and became quite polluted and quite dir ty ”
When the Michigan Depar tment of Natural Resources (DNR) did a fish sur vey in the 1960s of the Clinton River, they did not find a single living fish in the entire stretch of the river because of the pollution that the river had experienced, according to Pachucki
“Local gover nments and organizations af ter that point quickly star ted to see the need for some kind of protection for local watersheds and local water ways, because if it can't sustain life, it's just a detriment to your economy and your recreation and the environment,” Pachucki said
The Clinton River Watershed Council has been a nonprofit for just more than 50 years, for med in 1972 It’s beginning as an association of local gover nments who saw and understood the need “ We were for med under the authority of the Michigan local rivers Management Act of 1964 More recently, in 1994, the council reorganized into a non-profit The Michigan Clean Water Act designated the Clinton River watershed as an area of concer n, which means that there were eight beneficial use impair ments, eight criteria of things that needed to be fixed before the watershed as a whole was no longer an environmental concer n anymore, ” Pachucki said
Since that time, the Clinton River Watershed Council, community par tners and local gover nments, as well as counties officials have all been diligently working to protect, enhance celebrate the Clinton River, its watershed and Lake St Clair
“ They recently did a sur vey of the Clinton River, and now there's more than 84 identified living fish species in the watershed More than $40 million has been put into
the watershed just under that area of concer n designation for those beneficial use impair ments, those criteria of things that needed to get fixed before it was no longer an area of concer n anymore, ” he explained
The watershed organization helps manage stor mwater “ When precipitation as it comes down, the state of Michigan requires that ever ybody is per mitted if they're going to be utilizing stor m drains,” Pachucki said “Par t of our budget ever y year is working with communities to educate on stor mwater r unoff and the use of these stor m drains and coordinate the state's per mitting or per mitting with the state for these various other groups
Communities work with us to fulfill their education needs and to work to consider stor mwater and make sure that ever ybody's continuing to share education about some orders That's a chunk of our budget Par t of our budget is memberships with communities Par t of this is restoration
We get grants in and then do restoration work for monitoring work throughout the watershed ”
Water quality monitoring is per for med each spring and fall with 100 to 150 volunteers taking par t They sur vey nearly 50 sites throughout the watershed’s water way
“ The Clinton River and Stony and Paint Creek on the Red Run on various drains on Galloway Creek We're out doing monitoring with volunteers to gauge the overall health of the watershed Monitor stream conditions,” he said “ The infor mation that we gather infor ms future investment So that's all repor ted back to the state And that data then is used by groups like us, the state, other non-profits, private groups to continue to invest ”
He noted “the biggest threat to the watershed as a whole right now, the biggest challenge that we face is stor mwater In the last couple of days, we've received some pretty serious stor ms Because there's all of these imper vious sur faces, it means that the river systems in our water ways, the water that falls is not reintroduced slowly because it's hitting these imper vious sur faces and being funneled into stor m drains It is then immediately flowing into the rivers When we got a rain (July) 12th or 13th, water levels rose at the Aubur n Hills stream gauge by nearly four feet And downstream in the Sterling Heights gauge rose by more than seven feet
“It not only quickly goes into the river but as it's flowing over parking lots and roads, it's picking up sediment and salt and trash and debris,” Pachucki continued “It’s car r ying that right into our local water ways If we were to say that there's one big threat to the watershed as it stands right now, it's definitely stor mwater ”
Basic steps as just picking up trash in a parking lot can ultimately help a watershed sur vive
“If ever ybody's doing that, you're keeping that out of the drain clogging up problems and eventually putting it
in the Clinton River,” he said “All of our water ways in the area could be benefited in a couple different ways by regular people People could volunteer to clean up trash and debris Another way that people can get involved is by installing green infrastr ucture on their proper ty What that means is using nature-based solutions to help capture water on your own proper ty, therefore alleviating that impact on the stor m drains and the local water systems If you add a rain bar rel to your proper ty, if you plant using native plants, if you plant a tree, all of those things are examples of green infrastr ucture That can help track water on your proper ty and slowly reintroduce it to the groundwater so that the system isn't all r ushed with that stor mwater all at one time Ever ybody can do something regardless of your skill level or ability ”
The toxic threat for watersheds is always a reality
“Just this year, there was an electroplating plant in Macomb that was under a change of ownership and for whatever reason, a pipe burst in the building and this electroplating plant still had materials that were using electroplating and all of that got washed down the stor m drain,” Pachucki said “And those things can have a huge impact to local wildlife, especially aquatic life electroplating chemicals get into places like Bear Creek It can affect fish, it can affect macro inver tebrates, it can decimate the entire health of that water way There’s a lot businesses and local gover nments can do to protect our local water ways, is just so incredibly impor tant ”
Watersheds are where drinking water begins
“All through groundwater or through flow, water is all connected in some way, shape or for m Now, no one gets their drinking water from the Clinton River but depending on where you're at, you can look up where you get your local water from Our water flows from the headwaters of the Clinton, like the Water ford area, flows 81 miles downstream to Lake St Clair then eventually it makes it to Lake Erie,” Pachucki noted
The Rouge River Watershed includes par ts of Oakland County, primarily in the southeaster n por tion, along with Wayne County It suppor ts a diverse range of habitats and wildlife, provides recreational oppor tunities and is impor tant for stor mwater management in urban areas The Rouge River Watershed has four main branches, 400 lakes, impoundments and ponds over three counties with 508 miles of tributaries including 127 river miles More than 1 35 million people, 65 species of fish and two endangered fish species are in the 467 square miles of watershed that has 45 uncontrolled combined sewer outfalls
The watershed has been an active area of concer n since 1985 and over $1 billion dollars has been invested in its cleanup At one point, the river was so polluted
that it actually caught fire in 1969 Over its lifespan the Friends of the Rouge River organization has had more than 62,000 Rouge River rescue volunteers
Lauren Eaton, the monitoring manager at Friends of the Rouge, has been with the organization since April 2023 “A watershed is an area of land in which rainfall and snowmelt is channeled and drains into a body of water They are located ever ywhere We all live in a watershed,” Eaton said “If you are on land, you could think about it this way – rainwater that lands within a river's watershed will flow down toward that river; rainwater that lands outside a river's watershed will flow into a different river This is largely based on elevation and geomorphology but watershed boundaries are right next to each other in most cases ”
Eaton explained the problems of toxins in relation to watersheds
“If the toxins were on land, they could end up in the river from rainfall or snowmelt, picking up the toxins which then would flow into the river The toxins could also have the potential to infiltrate into groundwater, which would also flow toward lower elevation areas but much more slowly than sur face water,” she said
In protecting watersheds, Eaton says its best to look at the bigger picture
“It's impor tant to think regionally since ever ything in a watershed is connected The Rouge River watershed drains 467 square miles into the Detroit River This includes 47 municipalities and 1 35 million people,” she explained ”Preser ving and conser ving green space is the most critical, especially for urbanized watersheds Undeveloped land is the most impor tant piece to keeping watersheds healthy Additionally, our organization promotes green infrastr ucture, which can include adding green space such as a rain garden Rain gardens soak up water r unning off roofs, driveways, walkways and other hard sur faces which helps to reduce flooding It helps filter some of the chemicals on land such as lawn fer tilizer before it gets into the river The regional perspective of thinking about capturing rainwater upstream to help reduce flooding downstream is so impor tant ”
The Friends of the Rouge is constantly working to maintain and improve the Rouge River
“ We monitor the health of the creatures that live in and around the river – fish, frogs, crayfish, benthic macroinver tebrates Our frog and toad sur vey is a community-based program that anyone can par ticipate in and r uns from the end of winter until mid-summer Our benthic macroinver tebrate sur veys (spring, fall winter) are also volunteer programs and our next bug hunt is on October 12,” she said “ We have projects monitoring invasive species, a recent project monitoring water quality – specifically chloride (road salt) levels throughout the Rouge, a culver t sur vey which will let us
gauge how well fish can move throughout the river ”
She noted they work with schools through the Rouge Education Project which gets kids out lear ning and interacting with the river
“ We have a restoration program which promotes green infrastr ucture through rain garden education and installation and we've done tree plantings and native habitat restoration in the past,” Eaton said “ We have a trails program which encourages paddling along the lower branch of the Rouge ”
The Huron River Watershed primarily spans across several counties, including par ts of nor ther n Oakland County The Huron River Watershed is 905 square miles It is cr ucial for providing drinking water to local communities, suppor ting recreational activities such as kayaking and fishing maintaining ecological health Daniel Brown has been a watershed planner with the Huron River Watershed Council since 2006 He noted the watershed leads to the Huron River and beyond
“All that drains to the Huron River and eventually finds its way down to Lake Erie at Lake Erie Metro Park,” Brown said “ There's a lot of man-made channels there and it sor t of gets split into a delta at the mouth of the river It's right there at the base of where the Detroit River also comes in
“ We work with the municipalities in the watershed to help them comply with stor mwater regulations But then also work with them to improve their stor mwater management for the sake of water quality and its ultimate impact on the river,” he explained
“ The municipalities are members and they have representatives that sit on our board, but we don't have any authority over them The cities and some other non-city municipalities have a full jurisdiction over their stor mwater infrastr ucture but they are regulated under the Clean Water Act The Environmental Protection Agency then gives that authority to the state's EGLE depar tment – Environment, Great Lakes and Energy They get a per mit to release stor mwater to the water resources – in our case, the Huron River ”
Brown explained the basics of the watershed is that “it's just water comes together and goes somewhere and we take care of it along the way That's, in a nutshell, The kinds of things that we're tr ying to help the cities work on are to tr y to rethink the way that they design systems And the cities themselves are also working with developers to come into their communities and tr y to get them to do work on developments that are ver y considerate of the impacts that stor mwater has when you do a development ”
For example, a new housing development begins and one of the first things built is a detention pond for all the stor mwater to r un off into that pond Brown also noted the use of green infrastr ucture that Oakland County's Nash explained
When there is dense development, underground projects can help, such as porous caving
“It's concrete and asphalt that has holes in it that can then allow water to go into the ground It either gets stored under there in some kind of str ucture, or it can infiltrate into the groundwater,” he said
Each green infrastr ucture projects seeks to “mimic the natural system, the way that natural things go The reason for that is that it slows the rainwater down When you have these hardened sur faces, they send all that rainwater immediately to the streams That creates this huge volume that can rip out some of the banks or the bottom of the streams,” Brown explained
Major toxic pollutant events are a danger to watersheds Brown is always on the lookout for chemical spills from industries and businesses
“ We do have a few major pollution issues that we're working on, ” he said “Across the entire watershed, the PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination PFAS is a set of chemicals that are all in the same class that are made in a lot of different manufacturing processes They're star ting to get into our water ways, and new research is showing that they can be cancer-causing And there's a company in Oakland County called Tribar that was a major, major source of those contaminants that was discovered relatively recently, in the last five years, that we worked with the state to get them and to put in better controls to make sure that those pollutants stayed on site and weren't finding their way into the water system ”
He also explained the company had a separate release that was intentional on the par t of a disgr untled employee “ That was a different chemical, trivalent hexachrome These are chrome plating byproducts There was a big release that when it first was found out – it looked like it might be a huge amount that could contaminate the water system It tur ned out that a lot of that was filtered out by the Wixom's wastewater treatment plant before it got to the river, so it tur ned out not to be as big a problem, but it cer tainly was an issue with this dir ty company that had ver y lax safety controls and measures, ” Brown noted “ They were shut down for a while They had to fix their system so it couldn't happen again, but they're back up online and doing their thing It does point to a problem that we're working on The state had the ability to put the cost of cleanup onto the polluters who release that kind of pollution under previous administrations But now the state can no longer do that ”
The Huron River Watershed Council has been pushing for the state legislature to pass polluter pay legislation “ They are in the process of pushing it through and that would help to provide a resource and put the cost back on these kinds of dir ty companies instead of putting it on the backs of taxpayers,” Brown said
Stony Creek is a Clinton River subwatershed The
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Stony Creek area watershed contributes to the overall health of the Clinton River system, providing a habitat for wildlife and recreational oppor tunities at Stony Creek Metropark as well as assisting in flood control effor ts
The Paint Creek Watershed is located in nor ther n Oakland County, encompassing areas around Rochester and Lake Orion It suppor ts diverse aquatic and ter restrial habitats, provides scenic beauty and is essential for water quality management and recreational activities such as hiking and birdwatching
One major watershed is in the nor ther n most par t of Oakland County – the Shiawassee River Watershed Liz Roxber r y, executive director of The Friends of the Shiawassee River, has been on the job for a year The group was founded in 1996 by volunteers who wanted to put together river clean-up events in Owosso The group hosts annual river clean ups, organizes river workdays that focus on removing invasive species posing a threat to the river ’ s ecosystem and works to encourage reforestation of the Shiawassee riverbanks with vegetation buffers and more The Shiawassee Watershed is quite large and a bit different from others
“It depends on which angle you're looking at it The Shiawassee is pretty unique because the basin feeds the Flint River Its headwaters are in Huron,” Roxber r y said “ The basin itself is about 1,200 square miles It’s the only river in Michigan that flows nor th When you're looking at the basin, you've got to kind of reverse it because it doesn't flow south like most of our rivers And because the Shiawassee River is predominantly stor mwater-fed, we've got some unique challenges that face this river, par ticularly where stor mwater r unoff is concer ned A lot of work goes into not only protecting the watershed, making sure that it's clean
“ We have one of the largest river cleanups, collective river cleanups in the state We have a couple hundred volunteers that head out across designated areas on the river They do shoreline cleanup They get in the river It's pretty high and fast right now So, of course, using caution, they're getting into the river to pull out debris We work with the Shiawassee County Health Depar tment and the (Oakland County) Road Commission to recycle tires that used to be used for shoreline stabilization ”
Roxber r y explained the group has several projects in place across the watershed
“ We do ever ything from shoreline work to debris removal and then we also work with our municipal par tners on big projects like the dam removal, Corona Dam Removal, ChiTown Dam Removal,” she said
The watersheds across Michigan are all interconnected, according to Roxber r y
“Because all of our water is universal and so even water that is here in Shiawassee County, if it's par ticulating down into groundwater, it could end up showing up in a
neighboring basin All of our watersheds are connected but we tr y and break them out by district for management Michigan has such unique topography, has such unique, really diverse ecosystems Watersheds are really just a way to define an area for management We have the Shiawassee Conser vation District, which works ver y, ver y hard on managing our watershed with our drain commissioners and some of our other stakeholders, like EGLE When we look at the watershed, we look at the challenges that are presented here and how we can best address those And they become par t of our watershed management plan But cer tainly, we recognize that our affiliated and adjoining watersheds The role of the Organization for the Friends of Shiawassee is caring, sharing enjoying, where we are promoting how we care for the river through stewardship, conser vation practices, how we share the river through education and initiatives around educating, not only about the environment, but also about recreation and responsible usage And that's our sharing and our enjoyment aspect Enjoying the river, getting encouraged by it And we're encouraging people to get out and use the river and make a relationship with the river while being responsible in doing it ”
Another nor ther n Oakland County watershed, the Flint River watershed, encompasses 1,358 square miles, is 142 miles long and spans over seven counties The Flint River Water Coalition promotes citizen stewardship and works to provide members and volunteers with the resources needed to help protect and maintain the Flint River The organization is comprised of individuals, businesses, community organizations and local units of gover nment sharing a vision of a healthier Flint River Watershed
“ We envision a day when the future of our drinking water is secure and the integrity of the Flint River is protected We believe that all people should have access to the river for recreation, swimming fishing as well as the economic value it provides to our communities,” from their website
“ The Flint Water Crisis created lifelong challenges for Flint residents and lead contamination in the city ’ s drinking water supply has many questioning the quality and health of the Flint River The Flint River is a vibrant ecosystem that suppor ts a growing population of species such as eagles and ospreys, who live along and hunt in the Flint River Recreational oppor tunities in and along the Flint River are abundant We’re seeing higher numbers of users each and ever y year Local suppor t for the protection, promotion improvement of the river has never been stronger ”
Oakland County watersheds are vital natural resources that provide numerous benefits to the environment and economic quality of life for residents Protecting these watersheds requires coordinated effor ts from local, state and federal stakeholders to ensure sustainable use and conser vation for future generations
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Walnut Lake
Walnut Lake is a private, all- sports, 233-acre lake in West Bloomfield Township, Oakland County The Walnut Lake shoreline is lined with high- end exclusive homes
The 101-foot- deep lake is the fifth- deepest lake in Oakland County
But leaking or malfunctioning septic systems can allow organic wastewater compounds, like nitrate and E. coli, to percolate through the soil and enter the groundwater.
According to FLOW, leakage and effluent runoff are also major contributors to E. coli.
The need to have our septic systems inspected and tested isn't something most of us like to think about typically until or unless something goes wrong The irony is that state environmental regulators estimate there are about 1 3 million of onsite wastewater, or septic systems, operating in the state of Michigan, with 10 percent or more of those failing to work properly That's about 130,000 septic systems breaking down annually, with the state estimating about 31 million gallons of wastewater from toilets and drains not being treated properly Those failures then subsequently affect our water ways and groundwater
According to Michigan's For Love of Water, known as FLOW, septic systems are small-scale wastewater treatment options, used when a home or complex cannot easily be connected to a municipal sewer system Raw sewage and wastewater, including bath water and dishwater, are first pumped from the home into the septic tank A septic tank is an underground, sealed, concrete tank where the household waste is treated For a home, it is usually located somewhere on the proper ty Here, solid waste sinks to the bottom of the tank and materials such as oil for m a layer of scum on top Bacteria then breaks down the solid waste, while the wastewater migrates out of the septic tank and into the drain field
Per forated pipes distribute the liquid wastewater throughout the drain field Once out of the pipes, the wastewater effluent seeps through a gravel layer, then through the soil In a properly functioning septic tank, the gravel and soil filter the wastewater before it flows into the groundwater or nearby sur face water, such as streams, ponds and lakes
But leaking or malfunctioning septic systems can allow organic wastewater compounds, like nitrate and E coli, to percolate through the soil and enter the groundwater According to FLOW, leakage and effluent r unoff are also major contributors to E coli levels in sur face water
Sewage from failing septics can taint drinking water wells, aquifers and other drinking water sources, leading to dysenter y, meningitis, hepatitis, typhoid fever, and other serious illnesses Nitrates from failing septics pose par ticular threats to infants, such as methemoglobinemia, or "blue baby" syndrome, which inter feres with the blood's ability to car r y oxygen
Failing septics also are one of the most frequently repor ted causes of groundwater contamination Failing septics may also result in beach closings caused by high levels of E coli; excessive algae and aquatic plant growth; fish consumption restrictions; and bacterial and viral infections from contact with contaminated recreational water ways
Michigan is cur rently the only state in the United States without mandator y testing and inspection requirements for septic systems, an issue that some state legislators have attempted to remedy In 2022, a $35 million fund was created to provide loans to fix faulty septic systems Lawmakers are still hoping to create a framework to begin solving the problem
In April 2023, House Bills 4479 and 4480 were introduced to ensure regular septic tank inspections ever y five years In addition, the new laws would have enabled the creation of an inspection database and inspector cer tification system Under the new laws, if they had passed, a technical advisor y committee would have been for med to assist the Depar tment of Environment, Great Lake and Energy (“EGLE”) on standards for septic system management Par t of the bill would have included having a “point of sale” inspection, whereby sellers of a home are required to have their septic systems tested, as well as requiring homeowners to test their systems ever y five years and residents would generally have six months to fix problems detected during inspections The bills saw local health depar tments becoming authorized to oversee those inspections The bills would also have created a fund to help cover those and other costs associated with septic regulations Adding money to the fund would have been a separate conversation during budget negotiations But it never got that far
The bill was refer red to the Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee, where it languished until the end of the legislative ter m Among the sponsors of the bill were Oakland County state Reps Noah Arbit (DCommerce Township, West Bloomfield, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake, Sylvan Lake, Bloomfield Township), Sharon MacDonell (D -Troy, Bir mingham, Bloomfield Township, Royal Oak, Clawson), Brenda Car ter (D -Pontiac, Water ford), Samantha Steckloff (D -Far mington, Far mington Hills, Bloomfield Township, Bir mingham, Beverly Hills, Franklin, Southfield), Regina Weiss (D - Oak Park, Southfield)
Dave Woodward, chair of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, said he preferred a 10-year testing timeline, noting the time-consuming effort it takes the health department to inspect all the county's 4,500 restaurants twice a year.
and Kelly Breen (D -Lyon Township, Novi)
Inspections ever y five-years were popular with the real estate industr y, which argues the point- of-sale inspection programs that exist in some Michigan counties unfairly target people looking to sell their homes, while overlooking pollution from homes that aren’t on the market It is also ver y expensive to replace a septic system – as much as $15,000
Brad Ward, vice president of public policy and legal affairs for the Michigan Association of Realtors, said his group sees the draf t bills as “ a really good star ting point ”
Dave Woodward, chair of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, said he prefer red a 10-year testing timeline, noting the time-consuming effor t it takes the health depar tment to inspect all the county's 4,500 restaurants twice a year “I prefer a universal inspection process as compared to a pointof-sale approach According to real estate trends, only some real estate tur ns over frequently – the rest remains owned for much longer periods of time Without universal inspection, it may be decades or longer before all septic tank inspections were conducted I suppor t developing a universal county septic inspection program that completes inspections of all septic tanks at a minimum ever y 10 years In Oakland County, maybe we need a little longer, because we'd have to figure out how to build the infrastr ucture and do the testing ever y 10 years ”
Many hope it, or a similar piece of legislation, will be introduced in the new legislative year
The Michigan League of Conser vation Voters has also called for statewide regulations to address failing septic systems
"Michigan is the only state in the countr y without protections in place around household septic systems, which are believed to release 31 million gallons of sewage ever y day into our state's water ways," said Lisa Wozniak, executive director of the Michigan League of Conser vation Voters "We need common sense safeguards that protect the health of our communities and the safety of our water resources A bipar tisan solution that addresses our failing septic systems can't come soon enough to prevent this threat to our rivers, lakes and streams "
The Michigan Environmental Council, which has said the percent of failing septics could be as high as 20 to 40 percent in some places, has long suppor ted a statewide septic code, as well as the establishment
of a statewide database system to track the location, age and condition of septic systems throughout the state
In Oakland County, there are at least 80,000, and possibly as many as 100,000 septic systems in operation, many of which are in the nor ther n and wester n sections of the county, as well as some homes in Bloomfield Township and the Rochester/Rochester Hills area, that lack sewer connections That number is more than any other county in Michigan Exactly how many of those systems are failing is not known However, according to Woodward, Oakland County Board of Commissioners chair, “ The state says about about 25 percent are at risk for failure, so that's about 25,000 just in Oakland County If they're maintained well, they can go longer than that, but most were installed when the county was ballooning in population ”
Woodward noted that they do not know where all of the approximately 100,000 septic systems are in the county – they only when they don't work Then “those potentially leaking systems into lakes and streams are a priority,” he said
“ The Michigan Depar tment of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) estimates that between 20 to 25 percent of all septic systems in Michigan are failing and Oakland County is no exception,” said Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash “Mostly in the nor ther n and wester n par ts of the county, where most folks on septic systems live, we are seeing a real problem In recent years we have been working with the nor ther n tier communities on a project to include the industrial and environmentally sensitive areas to hook up with a sewer system in lower Genesee County and get off their failing septic systems Michigan is the only state I am aware of that has no statewide septic ordinance and we contribute all our water into the Great Lakes Oakland County is headwaters of five watersheds and our health depar tment is ver y active in this area To save our local water quality and limit the damage to the Great Lakes we need a statewide program I would suppor t legislation to do that, but we need a program to help low income people do that work without the threat of losing their homes because of the cost ”
A 2018 study conducted by Public Sector Consultants of mid-Michigan residents who were likely to have a septic system found that
A 2018 study conducted by Public Sector Consultants of residents who were likely to have a septic system found that approximately 30 percent did not actually know they had a septic system – which they noted is one major cause of septic system pollution.
approximately 30 percent of residents did not actually know they had a septic system – which they noted is one major cause of septic system pollution
The average age of a homeowner's typical septic system was 28 years old, and 43 percent said they had not had their systems pumped out in the last five years Another 25 percent indicated that they did not pump or maintain their system on a regular basis Of those inter viewed for the study, only 15 percent were aware of the nor mal lifespan of a septic system
Wild River Environmental noted the life expectancy of a steel septic tank will r ust out in 15 to 20 years and may collapse if it is driven over, while a concrete one will last up to 40 years as long as the wastewater is not acidic and it is maintained
“Diamonds are forever, but septic systems are not It’s tr ue that with proper care and maintenance a waste water system will last many years However, any septic tank buried in the ground will eventually deteriorate There are many factors that decide how fast a tank will deteriorate such as constr uction material, environmental factors, and the level of care it is given,” they advise
“Concrete septic tanks are sturdy and reliable but not indestr uctible The biggest risk is exposing the concrete to acidic substances Bacteria breaking down solid waste produces hydrogen sulfide gas When hydrogen sulfide mixes with water vapors, such as the ones you’d find in a wastewater tank, it tur ns into sulfuric acid and eats away at the concrete Keeping vents open and clear of debris will decrease the risk of sulfuric acid for mation,” exper ts at Wind River Environmental explained
The EPA said the life expectancy of a drain field under excellent conditions and with good care will last for 15-40 years “ Those which last the longest are seldom tested with neglect, poor maintenance, high usage or other environmental stresses like stor ms or severe droughts ”
There are signs homeowners should watch out for an aging septic system which is in need of maintenance First, Wind River Environmental said to keep an eye out for a high, thick sludge layer A thick layer of sludge leaves less room to filter wastewater before draining A healthy system’s top layer will be dark brown and full of wor ms Keeping the sludge level low with regular draining will prevent over flow
Watch for high levels of solid waste Solid waste levels should not exceed one-third of the depth of the tank To remedy this, have the tank ser viced more of ten to prevent excess hydrogen sulfide producing bacteria
Impor tantly, keep an eye out for visible wear and tear Cr umbly concrete and r ust colored streaks are signs of a str uctural problem that needs addressing immediately
Human wastes are not the only pollutants that failing septic tanks are releasing to groundwater and sur face water So -called emerging contaminants are found in household wastes, whether they discharge to publicly owned sewage systems or septic tanks According to For Love of Water (FLOW), 20 different studies on septic systems have identified 45 contaminants in septic effluent, including phar maceuticals, personal care product ingredients, chemicals in cleaning products, flame retardants, hor mones (both natural and synthetic), and other common substances
Not all ever yday items are a problem for septic systems, though “Septic systems are somewhat effective at removing chemicals such as acetaminophen (commonly known as Tylenol), caffeine and alkylphenols, a common group of ingredients used in cleaning products But some chemicals remain largely untreated, including the carcinogenic flame retardant TCEP , an anti-epilepsy dr ug called carbamazepine, and the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole,” FLOW said
Ted Loudon, a water consultant and professor emeritus in water and soil related research at Michigan State University, said some nutrients from failing septics may spread from one site and contaminate an entire drinking water aquifer under some soil conditions That happens, he said, when contaminants reach soils that are saturated by the water table, and nutrients enter the water of an aquifer that is naturally moving underground
"Usually septic systems are built above the water table, but once it gets in the saturated zone, and that water is moving, it's much less predictable," he said "Nitrate and nitrogen are soluble in water, where some of the other bacteria usually gets filtered out through the soil It really depends on soil conditions "
A study by a team of Michigan State University water research scientists into the presence of fecal bacteria in 64 rivers in Michigan's lower peninsula,
A study by water research scientists into fecal bacteria in 64 rivers in the lower peninsula, including several in Oakland, found levels of E.Coli and and B. thetaiotaomicron were highest in watersheds with the most number of septic systems.
including several in Oakland County, found levels of E Coli and and B thetaiotaomicron (a bacteria associated with human feces) were highest in watersheds with the most number of septic systems
The study's results, which were published in a 2015 repor t in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found septic systems to be the primar y driver of human fecal bacteria levels in each watershed studied, par ticularly those with more than 1,621 septic systems
Joan Rose, an inter nationally recognized exper t in water microbiology who is the Homer Nowlin chair in water research and director of the Water Alliance and led the MSU study, said while septic systems are controlled at the county level, the study looked at the total number of septic systems in an entire watershed, rather than gover nmental boundaries
Fur ther, she said, the study measured levels of both animal and ver y specific human markers, or indicators
"We've been tr ying to find source markers to say where (bacteria) is coming from, but you never really had good markers until the last decade," she said "In the past few years, we have been able to prove these markers are ver y specific, so when you get a positive result, we are ver y sure We are 99 9 percent sure it's coming from humans It comes from human feces "
While rivers and watersheds, or the system of land and tributaries that drain into a river, don't follow municipal or county boundaries, Rose and her colleagues compiled infor mation about septics systems, municipal wastewater treatment facilities, hydrology, and landscapes from each county to provide a view of each watershed They also sampled rivers at baseflow conditions, or when sur face and groundwater conditions were lower, so that rain events wouldn't skew their findings
The study of watersheds in Oakland County in 2017, including the Rouge, Clinton and Huron River watersheds, had some of the highest bacteria concentrations of E coli and B theta bacteria in the state, which ranged from less than 8 to more than 2 9 par ts per 100 milliliters E coli samples ranged between 2 37 and 2 9 par ts per 100 milliliters in the Rouge River Watershed, while the sur rounding Clinton and Huron River watersheds had about 1 4 to 2 37 par ts per 100 milliliters
Concentrations of B theta bacteria, which is linked specifically to human feces, ranged from less
than 4 6 to more than 5 6 par ts per 100 milliliters throughout the state Locally, the highest levels, those above 5 6 milliliters, were found in the Huron River Watershed The Rouge River Watershed and Clinton River Watershed had samples ranging from 5 2 to 5 6 par ts per 100 milliliters
Rose said the study, and future research, may help us better understand the relationship between land use and water quality in Michigan and the countr y as we work to improve infrastr ucture, including where we locate, constr uct and how we maintain onsite wastewater treatment systems
"We are at the hear t of water quality in the Great Lakes," she said "I think what we are doing here now and what we do with our water strategy in the next five or 10 years will be a nationally recognized center for addressing water quality "
Tom Frazier, legislative liaison with the Michigan Townships Association, said a statewide effor t to address failing septic systems is a priority because it may address public health issues and ease the need for townships to constr uct expensive public sewer systems
"The issue has been around for a decade or more," he said "I'm not sure going for ward where things are at It's kind of a priority with our association, and it's a priority with the cur rent and for mer gover nor, so it's questionable what the legislature may do with this type of legislation in the near future "
Another challenge that legislators proposing a statewide code may face, an official with EGLE said, is citizens' rights
"Another concer ned voice is just citizens' rights to private proper ty, as far as mandating or requiring some sor t of frequency of inspection when this is a system that is owned by a private citizen on private proper ty," they said "The diversity of stakeholder groups that are impacted by this, and finding some agreement that ever yone feels is effective while not overburdensome regulations is a challenge It's kind of a mix of all of those
"We are hopeful to see a change It's something we would like to see in place The main focus is the pollution factor in lakes and streams, and tr ying to deter that from occur ring "
Despite the challenges in creating a statewide code, it is impor tant to note that 49 other states have discovered a way to do so, including those with var ying land and water resources In Wisconsin, all
Only 11 out of 83 counties in Michigan have any kind of standards for septic system management, according to the Michigan Environmental Council. EGLE currently reported that 330,000 septic systems are leaking waste.
septic systems are required to be inspected ever y three years In Mar yland, inspections are required annually And in Minnesota, inspections are required ever y three years for traditional systems, and ever y six months or annually for advanced systems
Additionally, 65 counties in Minnesota require septic inspections at the time of a sale of a proper ty, said Sara Heger, a leading water research engineer at the University of Minnesota and chair of that state's advisor y committee on on-site wastewater treatment systems
"There are some things that are one-size-fits-all, but some politics get in the way," she said "Ever ything to treat under 10,000 gallons a day is per mitted through the state " Heger said the state's administrative r ules have been set up to allow for some variation from location to location, while maintenance requirements of systems doesn't lend itself to the same type of flexibility Likewise, there's variations in enforcement and tracking abilities
"Ever y county will say you need to maintain your system, but do they have a tracking system and ability to do enforcement? Enforcement is still a challenge in Minnesota," she noted "There are a couple counties that can write a ticket, but what other options do they have? Having some enforcement tools built into the r ules is really helpful
"Education is also impor tant, but you need to have both the car rot and the stick Usually septics are ver y low on the list of what people want to spend money on "
Only 11 out of 83 counties in Michigan have any kind of standards for septic system management, according to the Michigan Environmental Council EGLE cur rently repor ted that 330,000 systems are leaking waste into groundwater due to various failures That means that EGLE's estimate that 9,000 miles of Michigan streams were contaminated with bacteria such as E Coli, with regular monitoring from the depar tment is estimated to grow to 37,000 miles – a huge spike
Annually, the Oakland County Health Division has conducted about 130 inspections that are based on complaints, mostly from residents bothered by the smell of raw sewage Those inspections typically include water or wells for high levels of bacteria nutrients, or adding a dye to the system to see if water from the system sur faces
In Oakland County, a new Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic) offers – but does not require
– the framework for inspection and replacement “
The proper disposal of solid, liquid and sewage wastes is cr ucial to prevent contamination to the land and the groundwater below The use of sewers and municipal sewage treatment plants is limited to areas where infrastr ucture exists On-site sewage disposal is the only viable alter native in areas not ser viced by municipal sewers ”
The Environmental Health Ser vices Unit in Oakland County said they are working to protect land resources by offering the following ser vices: Issuing per mits and conducting constr uction and final inspections for the installation of residential and non residential on-site sewage disposal systems; Reviewing and conducting site evaluations for all of Oakland County's proposed subdivisions and sitecondo projects in conjunction with EGLE; Assists in the licensing of septic cleaning tr ucks by inspecting and make recommendations to EGLE
Applying for a septic per mit is easy, with online per mitting available for both new and replacement applications available as well as final inspections for both residential, multiple residential and nonresidential proper ty as well as for repairs The site also assists with reviews and conducts site evaluations for all proposed subdivisions and sitecondos in conjunction with EGLE
The unit also assists in the licensing of septic cleaning tr ucks by inspecting and make recommendations to EGLE
Frazier, the legislative liaison with the Michigan Townships Association, said the association is in suppor t of standards that would reduce the potential of septic system failures
"When we have septic systems that are potentially failing, they create not only a public health threat, but require townships to build expensive public sewer systems," he said "It's in our best interest and our members' interests that they are maintained and they aren't failing "
The notion that public sewer systems would eventually keep pace with development is no longer a realistic expectation
"The goal during urban expansion was to extend sewers to residents as populations were going nor th and west, but that occur red way faster than the sewers," said a county health official "The new mantra now is 'sewer is not coming '"
The new mantra is maintenance
T H R E AT E N E D P L A N E T
Threatened Planet is a newsletter of curated information gleaned from over 30 print and online news sources where reliable information is provided on the health of the environment and the efforts to remedy problems facing the planet We constantly monitor a diverse list of sources – the major daily newspapers in the country and in Europe, a variety of scientific journals and government websites, along with newsletters from environmental groups, as well as a wide-ranging list of other reliable print and online news outlets For those concerned about the environment, we do the legwork by aggregating relevant information from a wide swath of sources and attempt to offer links mostly to those sources not restricted by a paywall Those interested can sign up for the newsletter at ThreatenedPlanet com
Research and composition of the Threatened Planet newsletter is the work of Austen Hohendorf
Gover nor Whitmer is expected to sign a new Michigan law that prohibits HOAs from blocking roof top solar (Car rie Klein/Canar y Media)
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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed a first-ever r ule that protects workers from the risk of extreme heat, facing major industr y opposition (Anna Phillips, Nicolás Rivero, Niko Kommenda/The Washington Post)
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Then there’s this
Confused about recycling? You’re not alone Check out this guide to help and lear n how Michigan stacks up against other states in recycling statistics (Doug Tribou, Caoilinn Goss, Adam Yahya Rayes, Beth Weiler/Michigan Public Radio)
Metro Intelligencer is a monthly column devoted to news stories, tidbits and gossip items about what's happening on the restaurant scene in the metro Detroit area Metro Intelligencer is reported/ created each month by Gigi Nichols who can be reached at GigiNichols@DowntownPublications com with news items or tips, on or off the record.
A touch of England
Drawing its inspiration from the great public houses of London, the Lone Goat is downtown Detroit’s first authentic English pub The Lone Goat is the latest addition to the growing collection of establishments by the Detroit-based Roxbur y Group, through its Treefor t Hospitality ar m, and occupies a ground-floor and mezzanine space in the historic Metropolitan Building The pub ser ves a wide selection of British and domestic draught beers, cocktails and spirits, and an extensive offering of classic English pub food “ We really wanted to develop an experience that drew from the historic attributes of the space and complimented the physical character of the Metropolitan Building,” said Roxbur y President James Van Dyke, who led the development effor t at the Lone Goat “A genuine English pub was a great fit in a building that already looks like a medieval castle, and in our view was an offering that was lacking in the marketplace ” The main floor features a central main floor copper bar, while the second floor space offers dar ts as well as room for private events The pub is open seven days a week and offers lunch and dinner options including such English favorites as bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie, fish and chips and Welsh rarebit The pub has also developed an extensive beer menu with ten draught selections of Britain’s finest ales and stouts in addition to a broad list of bottles and cans Ever y aspect of the Lone Goat’s planning was based on thorough research of English pub design and operation, including the fur niture selections, ar twork, signage and its playlist of hand-picked music tracks spanning the last six decades Asked about where the name “the Lone Goat” derives, Van Dyke added –“ The name comes from an old joke that is a favorite around the Roxbur y Group If you catch us at the bar, we’d be happy to tell it ” 33 John R St, Detroit thelonegoat com
Black Ginger opens
Black Ginger is a new Korean-American restaurant focused on new age Korean cuisine, collaborating with local Detroit produce to showcase rich and traditional flavors The eater y is located in the Tr umbull and Por ter Hotel, in Detroit’s Corktown and fills the space for merly occupied by Red-Dunn Kitchen Black Ginger ’ s owner, Harold Kim, is a Korean American who grew up in the metro Detroit area He is also the owner of Izakaya Sanpei’s in Canton Kim, who is knowledgeable in many Asian flavors like Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, has worked with many different types of seafood and has also traveled extensively around South Korea to understand both traditional and moder n flavors Popular menu items include crispy rice salad with cucumber,
mango, fish sauce and cilantro dressing; tempura broccolini with gochujang aioli, lemon zest and crispy garlic; Korean fried chicken featuring sweet & tangy Korean sauce, citr us brine, sesame vinaigrette and cabbage slaw; and glazed pork belly with honey soy glaze, orange segments, scallions, crispy garlic The restaurant has seating for up to 250 guests which includes an indoor bar area, the main restaurant and an outdoor bar The outdoor bar is named “ The Pump Room,” in honor of the pump room that used to occupy the same space when the hotel had an outdoor swimming pool Black Ginger is open Wednesdays-Saturdays from 4-10 p m and a Happy Hour from 4-6 p m with $1 off draf t beers, $2 off wine, a beer and shot for $6, and select menu items at 50% off 1331 Tr umbull STE 100, Detroit blackgingerdetroit com
Kissed by fire
Br ush Park’s newest bar and restaurant, Lena, bills itself as “ a Spanish-inspired neighborhood restaurant featuring fresh ingredients kissed by fire ” The restaurant is the latest project for par tners Matt Tulpa and Tar un Kajeepeta who also own the Shelby, a subter ranean speakeasy-style bar and restaurant in Detroit’s Financial District Lena’s team members include executive chef Mike Conrad, pastr y chef Lena Sareini and sommelier Kody Stafej The interior of Lena is crisp and contemporar y with light wood tones, exposed ceilings and large windows The dinner menu features a range of Catalan and Basque inspired dishes, including a variety of pintxos, tapas and shared plates Some of the signature dishes include: Iberico secreto: Iberico pork steak, zucchini, with jamon vinaigrette; chorizo de pollo: chicken sausage, creamed leeks, sauce diab, chickpea, pine nuts and salsa verde; gambas: boat prawns, txakoli, pickled ramps, and piquillo; calamares rellenos: calaspar r rice stuffed squid, squid ink sauce, mojo rojo and potatoes The wine list is exclusively Spanish, offering the best representations of Spain’s various regions and varietals The wines pair with Lena’s menu and focus primarily on organic, sustainable, and biodynamic wines Lena celebrates the Aperitivo hour with a selection of sher ries and ver mouths, and a signature Sangria In addition, the bar offers a wide selection of specialty cocktails, low ABV and alcohol-free drinks 2720 Br ush Street, Detroit lenadetroit com
Local restaurants honored
Wine Spectator, the world’s leading authority on wine, has unveiled the winners of the 2024 Restaurant Awards, which honor the world’s best restaurants for wine Launched in 1981, the Restaurant Awards are judged on three levels: the Award of Excellence, the Best of Award of Excellence and the Grand Award Of local interest, 21 area restaurants were honored in two different levels Wine Spectator’s criterion for the “Award of Excellence” goes to restaurants that generally have a wine list of at least 100 vintages The “Best of Award of Excellence” is given to
restaurants that take their love of wine a step fur ther, through staff training to ensure guests have knowledgeable assistance, hosting events such as wine dinners, or carefully designed presentation and more in-depth sourcing These lists offer approximately 350 or more carefully curated selections The Best of Award of Excellence award was given to Prime + Proper, Detroit; The Capital Grille, Troy; and Ver tical Detroit, Detroit The Award of Excellence was presented to Alchemi, Royal Oak; Brentwood Grille, Novi; Coeur, Fer ndale; Eddie Merlot’s, Bloomfield Hills; Eddie V ’s Prime Seafood, Troy; Five Steakhouse, Plymouth; Fogo de Chão, Troy; Gaucho Brazilian SteakHouse, Nor thville; Highlands, Detroit; Joe Muer Seafood, Bloomfield Hills, Madam, Bir mingham; Mor ton’s, The Steakhouse, Troy; Seasons 52, Troy; Streetside Seafood, Bir mingham; Sullivan’s Steakhouse, Detroit; Tallulah Wine Bar & Bistro, Bir mingham; The Apparatus Room, Detroit; and The Wine Grotto, Plymouth
New beer hall in the Financial District
The Social Brews, a new beer hall, coffee shop and social hub with rotating local chefs, is set to open soon The new establishment is situated in Deroit’s financial district across from Huntington Place During the day, the cafe will offer cer tified coffee, teas, fresh juices along with baked goods to gour met breakfast and lunch sandwiches The evening offerings include bar bites along with featuring rotating chefs who will create a diverse and ever-changing menu that reflects the city ’ s rich culinar y heritage For ty-five selfpour taps of local and craf t beers will be available in a beer hall setting that extends into an elevated 2,200 square foot outdoor patio In addition, a full-ser vice bar with rotating mixologists will be on hand creating signature cocktails
The Social Brews will also be a hub for local music and an event space for corporate events, private meetings, and par ties, including indoor and outdoor patio space and a welcoming ambiance for the community to utilize Owners Nishar th and Sanjay Patel say their goal for their new venture is to create a space where people can come together to enjoy great food, drinks, and music, and socialize, all while suppor ting local talent and businesses 211 W. For t Street, Detroit thesocialbrews com
Iconic Detroit restaurant shutters
The Rattlesnake Club in Detroit has abr uptly closed its doors The restaurant, located at 300 River Place Drive, has been a fixture in the Detroit restaurant scene for 36 years and was famous for its classic-inspired meals, skyline views and seasonal Garden Ter race “ We are grateful for the suppor t of our loyal customers over these many years Most of all, we are grateful for the loyal ser vice of our dedicated employees,” said Mark Tuttle, the club’s vice president and chief financial officer, in a press release “ These seasoned professionals’ focus on producing the finest food and outstanding customer ser vice have been responsible for maintaining the restaurant’s reputation these many years since it opened in 1988 Changing patter ns in dining habits, office occupancy and traffic have negatively impacted revenues since the COVID pandemic Private events, which had always been a pillar of the business, have not recovered ” The eater y ’ s final day of ser vice was June 28
Lakefront homeowners in Oakland County are a special set... and now they have their own special niche publication.
LAKE MAGAZINE
Upscale, full- color, direct mailed to over 17,000 homes on the shores of Oakland County ’s waterways. Produced by a seasoned group of award-winnng professionals directing their talents to the issues surrounding the concerns of living on the waterfronts
Ride on our coattails into the homes of this important, affluential segment of the buying public before the start of each month.
Contact Pat Collins at 586.215.1400 or PatCollins@DowntownPublications.com to discuss how to include your message.
October issue reservation deadline is Friday, August 30. Issue mailed September 16.
A) Oxford Multi includes: Cedar, Clear, Long, Squaw, Michelson & Tan Lakes
B) Waterford Multi includes: Cemetery(Middle), Dollar, Greens, Maceday, Lotus, Lester, Van Norman, Williams, Mohawk, Wormer, Schoolhouse, Silver, Upper Silver & Loon Lakes
C) The Loon Lake control structure also controls Mohawk, Wormer, Schoolhouse Silver & Upper Silver Lakes
D) The Van Norman control structure also controls Green, Maceday, Lotus & Lester Lakes
E) Lake Angelus, Huron River, and Clinton River levels are not under the jurisdiction of this office
F) The Dawson Mill Pond and Sylvan-Otter Lakes are controlled by the Price Dam
G) Crystal Lake is controlled by the Walter Moore Dam
H) Lake Louise and Huff Lake are controlled by the Ruth Johnson Dam
I) Waumegah Lake reading in N.G.V.D (1983)
J) Some Winter Levels are set by Court Order Others reflects customary drawdown
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